Latest Ratings

In short: Tough course in dreadful weather. Not as well organised as previous yearsIn full: Local race and one I always enjoy as a challenging and less crowded alternative to the likes of Bath / Bristol etc. Like others I found the requests for sponsorship a bit pushy and definitely the medal was below par. A minor gripe is the fact that no age category results were shown, just male and female. Since the information is on the entry form surely this can't be a big issue? Hats off to the spectators who stood out for hours in the rain and great to have a virtually traffic free race on such a winding route out of town. Date of review: October 14, 2013

In short: Btilliant organisation, tough course, a great day outIn full: Ample car parking close to start/finish, plenty of toilets, and a long / wide start area with timed zones at 15 minute intervals. No bottlenecks at any point on the course and enthusiastic, if patchy, support. Glorious route especially on such a fabulous day, but be warned it is tough and the hills just keep coming. The finish was a calm, organised affair and I think Swindon have got their numbers just right - not too big but caters for all abilities. I'll be back!!Date of review: October 15, 2012

In short: Tough but enjoyableIn full: Start was a bit random, didn't know where the start line was and couldn't hear any instructions - just started to shuffle when everyone in front of me moved. Didn't like the out and back to the cone at around 12 miles but was expecting the hills. Great organisation and excellent wicking T shirt. Nice to be parked so close to finish, no long hike on aching legs. Will definitely do againDate of review: March 23, 2011

In short: No frills, well organised raceIn full: Good training for a Spring marathon [which most participants seemed to be doing] Not flat,but the three laps were not as bad as they sounded. Not many unattached runners, but good mix of speed and no crowding. Easy access and a great technical T shirtDate of review: March 13, 2011

In short: Definitely hilly, windy and toughIn full: Great race with fantastic organisation. Last year they tried chip timing and it didn't work properly, this year they went back to manual recording and had the prize giving two hours after the start! The hills make this tough any year, but the wind this year was just an extra challenge. Very friendly but I wouldn't recommend it for a first half, might put a novice off!Date of review: February 6, 2011

In short: Tough in the conditions - snow and ice still on the groundIn full: From reading the forum comments on last year's race I was expecting very little 'real' off-road and while the bulk of the race was on firm track / military road the longish section of rutted mud track in the second half was very energy sapping plus the section in and out from the start /finish was lethal in places. The event 'centre' was a bit cheerless and someone to direct parking would have been a help. I'm not sure 4 portaloos constitute 'ample toilet facilities' given the entry limit and I'm not sure where the supervised baggage storage or changing areas were [in the trees behind the barn perhaps]. A couple of mile markers would definitely have helped and I also made it 12.7.Date of review: December 27, 2010

In short: Another fantastic day out courtesy of RHAC - thanks one and allIn full: This is one of the truly surprising events in the calendar. For years we didn't do it because the idea of 50 miles round Rotherham simply didn't appeal - but what a surprise! Have now done 10 events and they just get better. Great atmosphere among the runners and very friendly marshals. The new waymarks make navigation easier than before, but still potential to get lost if you don't keep your wits about you! Thanks to all involved in organising the day - we already have next year's event in the diaryDate of review: October 18, 2010

In short: Superb organisation and a challenging courseIn full: Excellent organisation, couldn't criticise anything. One minor niggle - despite being given a goody bag with a 'small' T shirt I got home to measure said shirt and found it was exactly the same size as OH's large. Overall though this race was a joy to take part inDate of review: October 11, 2010

In short: Fantastic day out, friendly marshals, glorious scenery and cakes galoreIn full: Thanks to everyone involved for such a great day out. We took it gently with VLM on the horizon and enjoyed it all the more. Can't praise the organisation highly enough, loved the relaxed start and lack to official timingDate of review: April 16, 2010

In short: Not up to the usual standard of the Gloucester 20In full: Organisation seemed a bit muddled compared to previous years. OH and I received two numbers with no indication of which was which, the distance from the car park / start to the Race HQ meant that most people didn't bother going. Couldn't hear the start and with no clock at the finish line am still not sure how long I took. Finish was very flat [in terms of atmosphere] - I even missed getting my mug as there was nobody handing them out or at least directing you to where they were. Previous years have had chip timing and I must confess to hating the three lap format, I always used to find that two was one too many -although I can see the convenience from the point of view of water stops etc. Date of review: March 8, 2010